Sport: Junior Girls Football 

Runners Up and Qualify for Hume Region

 

Forty three of our best and bravest Girls played in the Junior and Intermediate Girls Football carnivals on Thursday 19th June.

 

Despite fielding a very young team (fourteen Year 7's, and only ten Year 8's), our Juniors led the charge, finishing Upper Hume Runner-Up for the 2nd year in a row, ending with a 3-1 record at the Barr Reserve.

 

They now qualify to play at the next stage (Hume Region), in Wangaratta on Wednesday 23rd July, where last year we finished Hume Region Runner-Up with a 1-1 record.

 

With 7 girls in the line-up that play weekend Football, and so many numbers we had 6 rotating off the bench, they are spearheading our school's Girls Football Renaissance.

 

In all 3 wins, they remarkably kept their opponent goalless. First up it was Cathedral College (3.6.24 - 0), then Wodonga Middle Years College (15.11.89 -0), and later Galen College (4.3. 27 - 0).

 

Our Round 3 match against Catholic College Wodonga, became the Grand Final, and we were close. The final score was a 13 point loss (0.2.2 - 2.3.15), but we had just as much possession. We just couldn’t convert forward entries to goals, while they did.

 

Captain Mia Simpson was the star of the tournament, enthralling onlookers with her freakish skills and liquid-smooth moving, ball-handling and foot skills. 

 

The Wangaratta Rovers and Tigers talent kicked twelve goals for the day, including eight in one 30 minute match in which she also unselfishly gave a few off, while resting forward with a sore leg. 

 

Co-Captain Paige-Lee Dummett was our next best. Playing both Centre Half Back (3 games) and in the Ruck (v Middle Years) she was tough, determined and skilled. At CHB she continually thwarted forward entries, taking intercept marks, charging forward to cut off kicks, crashing packs and one-on-ones, and even chasing down her own kicks and getting the next possession.

 

The Wangaratta Rover and Tiger would have racked up an exceptional amount of metres gained with her run and kick game, and used her fitness (2024 Cross Country Upper Hume Champion) to get forward and kick 2 goals. She won every contest she was involved, and was an inspirational leader all day with her courage, especially when continuing to play with an injured hand in the Final Game.

 

Our 3rd Co-Captain, Bella Boulton, was again integral. Playing midfield all day, the Wangaratta Rover was brilliant around stoppages, winning it in close and on the outside, using her pace (Athletics Carnival all-time record-breaker in the 100m, 200m and 400m in 2024) to get first possession at ground level and also take ground when exploding, then skillfully delivering by hand and foot. She also got forward to kick a goal, and almost kicked one to will us to the line against Catholic.

 

Of the fourteen Year 7's in the team, Ashton Ryan stood out. The Rovers and Kangaroos player stayed in the midfield all day, running all over the ground and gathering a heap of the ball. She continually got the right spots, taking multiple marks in the open, and even got foward to kick 3 goals to be our 2nd leading goalkicker for the day.

 

Despite being by far the smallest and youngest in the team (could still be in Grade 6, having only just turned 12)  she was as courageous as anyone. She at one stage copped a big hit to the ribs when crashed while attempting an overhead mark, and was badly hurt, but brushed it off and stayed on the ground.

 

Ashton’s football genetics are worth mentioning. Her dad Brandon is a 4-time Senior club Best & Fairest winner (club record) for North Albury in the Ovens & Murray. He also won 2 B&Fs (and 3 Premierships) at Ganmain Grong Grong Matong in the Riverina FL.

 

One great-grandfather on mum Ricki’s side, Neil “Curly” Hanlon was a 5-time Best & Fairest and 3-time Premiership player for Benalla (when in the Ovens & Murray), and a 12-time O&M Rep. he was headhunted by 4 AFL clubs, but couldn’t get to Melbourne to train.

 

Another great-grandfather on mum’s side, Jock Gardner, won 3 Clyde Baker Medals (League Best & Fairests) in the Ovens & King for Milawa. Only 1 player has ever won as many.

 

Mum Ricki was also good enough to win a League Netball Best & Fairest when a teenager.

 

Havarna Long was another Year 7 to show talent and potential. The Wangaratta Rover played midfield, wing and forward, and was very dangerous especially when finding space to use her power and speed to break lines. She had several great runs inside 50 and almost kicked a few goals.

 

Lexy Hayward was another. Strong, physical , brave and with clean hands, she was a strong Centre Half Forward target, and also had time in the Ruck. 

 

Year 8 Summer-Rae Brown and Year 7s Lily Webb and Marley Higham all kicked goals after taking nice marks. Year8 Amelie Booth, and Year 7s Ava Penney and Macy Boschetti, were strong natural defenders, despite it not coming down their end much in 3 of the 4 games.

 

Some heavy footy genetics in that group too. Ava’s dad Chris was in our State Champion Year 7 Football team of 1996. Macy’s grandfather, Leigh Hartwig, played in 5 Premierships for the Wangaratta Rovers.

 

GOAL KICKERS: Mia Simpson 12, Ashton Ryan 3, Paige-Lee Dummet 2, Bella Boulton 1, Summer-Rae Brown 1, Marley Higham 1, Lily Webb 1.

 

BEST PLAYERS: Mia Simpson, Paige-Lee Dummett, Bella Boulton, Ashton Ryan, Havarna Long, Lexy Hayward.

 

Thanks to our players, many helpers, Sandy "Newmo" Newman for convening, Kev McGennan for the photos, and the many facility members down to support their Girls.

 

Jud Mullins

Sport Coordinator